Antonella Barba knows a thing or two about how to deal with a provocative photo scandal.

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The former American Idol sixth-season semifinalist has decided to offer some advice to fellow Garden State 20-something Amy Polumbo, who has found herself at the center of her own racy-photo scandal less than a month after being crowned Miss New Jersey. 

"I used to say 'Cover your tracks,' but it really should be, 'Don't make tracks that need to be covered,'" Barba told The Associated Press on Thursday. "Once anything is online, it's free reign."

Earlier this month, Polumbo revealed that someone was trying to blackmail her into resigning her crown by threatening to release embarrassing photos that she had previously posted on her Facebook social networking page.  Although Polumbo acknowledged that some of the photos showed her "not in a ladylike manner,"  none of the photos featured nudity, causing the Miss New Jersey pageant board to decide not take away Polumbo's crown. 

Barba's photo scandal was similar, as Idol producers said they had no intentions of disqualifying her from the competition and she was subsequently eliminated by viewer votes on the cusp of becoming an Idol 6 finalist.

"I feel so bad for [Polumbo]," Barba told The AP. "I've been in the same situation she's been in. It disgusts me, people's interest in the dirt and trying to bring somebody down."

Barba is currently taking summer class at Catholic University -- where she missed classes from while competing on Idol's sixth season -- with the goal being to graduate from the Washington, D.C.-area school with her friends next spring.   Needless to say she's been trying to lay low, but Barba had to voice her opinion on Polumbo, presumably due to the similarities between their situations.

"We just want to prevent this from happening to someone else," Barba told The AP.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio
Christopher Rocchio is an entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and has covered the reality TV genre for several years.